Education, From The Capitol To The Classroom

Stories about students: How does education policy affect the way students learn and grow? Can schools meet their needs as they balance ramped-up testing with personal changes and busy schedules? And are students who need help getting it?

Stories about educators: How are those responsible for implementing education policy in schools − from classroom teachers, to district administrators, to school board members − affected by changes at the top? And how well do they meet their challenge of reaching students with varying abilities and needs?

Stories about school assessment: With an increased push for 'accountability' in schools, what can test scores tell us about teacher effectiveness and student learning − and what can't they tell us? What does the data say about how schools at all levels are performing?

Stories about government influence: Who are the people and groups most instrumental in crafting education policy? What are their priorities and agendas? And how do they work together when they disagree?

Stories about money: How do local, state, and federal governments pay to support the education policies they craft? How do direct costs of going to school − from textbooks to tuition − hit a parent or student's bottom line? And how do changing budgets and funding formulas affect learning and teaching?

Interactive Map: 2014 ISTEP+ Results By Individual School

August 4, 2014 | 6:00 AM

It’s that time of year again: the Indiana Department of Education released scores this week for the 2014 ISTEP+, Indiana’s benchmark statewide assessment for third through eighth graders.

Overall, scores went up for both English/Language Arts and Math. 80.7 percent of students passed the ELA test, up from 79.5 percent last year. 83.5 percent of students passed the math test, up from 83.0 percent in 2013. The number of students who passed both tests also increased, with 74.7 percent passing this year compared to 73.7 percent last year.

Here is a map of results for the 2014 ISTEP+ exams, including data for private schools, traditional public schools and charter schools:

Students took the exam in two sittings. Schools administered the “applied skills” portion in early March, followed by a separate multiple choice portion in late April and early May.

Each student was tested in two core subject areas — English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. Historically, these scores have been used in setting a school’s letter grade, a process state officials are currently in talks to tweak. Additionally, fourth and sixth graders are tested in science, and fifth and seventh graders are tested in social studies.

Testing went much smoother this year compared to the 2013 .The state’s current testing software, provided by CTB/McGraw-Hill, suffered a series of glitches that kicked off many students during testing.

As for next year, we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Don’t forget, students will no longer take this exact test.